Tray



May 24, 1938, c. RICHARDSON, JR 2,118,326

v TRAY Filed Nov. 5, 1934 if l IIIIIH imil m /J ATTORNEY.

Patented May 24, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to trays for liquid containers and the like, such as coasters for drinking glasses, and has for its object to absorb drippings from a drinking glass or other liquid container while it is supported in a coaster or other tray.

More particularly it is an object of the invention to mount an absorbent medium in the bottom of the tray, and to readily displace the ab'- sorbent medium when soiled or saturated with drippings, and to conveniently replace and removably secure the absorbent medium in the bottom of the tray.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide` a tray such as a coaster or the like, of simple construction and manufacture, adapted for convenient support and replacement of an absorbent medium therein.

Itis a still further object of the invention to provide a tray having a space therein for reception of a refrigerating medium, so as to particularly adapt the tray for supporting a container for an iced drink, with the tray preferably provided with means for absorbing any condensate dripping from the container.

Further objects of the invention will be readily understood from the following description of the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a tray embodying the invention, partly in axial section.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of thetray, with the absorbent medium partly broken away.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary axial section through a tray, showing a modified construction.

Fig. 4 is a similar view, showing a further modification.

Fig. 5 is a similar view, showing a still further modication.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of a tray, showing a still further modification.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary axial section through a tray, showing a still further modication of the invention.

The invention may be embodied in a tray of any size and shape adapted to support one or more liquid containers or the like, and is particularly applicable and is herein illustrated and described as embodiedin a tray or coaster for a single drinking glass. v

The coaster comprises a base having an upstanding peripheral rim so as to form a shallow supporting tray open at its upper side for reception of a drinking glass so that the base of the latter is supported upon the bottom of the shalh base of the coaster is preferably disc-shaped and slightly larger than the base of a drinking glass, and the upstanding rim comprises an annular wall which is preferably of appreciable radial thickness as compared with the preferably relatively thin base of the coaster.

The coaster as thus described may be of any suitable material, and when'constructed of sheet material such as metal, preferably comprises cooperating sheet metal stampings providing simplicity and economy of manufacture for a coaster having a peripheral annular rim of the desired radial thickness. As an instance of this arrangement one metal stamping may comprise a` disc-shaped base l having its peripheral portion preferably slightly offset below the plane of the disc so as to form an annular supporting surface 2, with the outer periphery of the disc forming anupstanding flange 3. The cooperating metal stamping comprises a disc-shaped base 4, upturned at its periphery to form a ange Ei, which'is in turn bent outwardly. to form 'a rim 6 of the desired radial thickness, and which may include offset portions forming any desired ornamental contour, with the outer peripheryv of the rim bent downwardly to form a flange 1.

The stampings are of a relative size adapting them for assembly with the base resting upon the base l and the flange 3 telescoping within the yflange 'l and abutting the rim 6; and the stampings are preferably secured in assembled relation by coating the contacting surfaces of the bases l-d and the anges 3 1 with a suitable lacquer prior to assembling the parts, the lacquer being such as will harden and firmly bind the assembled parts, and the end of flange l being then preferably spun` over the base of flange 3 as shown at 8.

When a drinking glass or other liquid container is supported in the tray or coaster, drippings from the glass will collect in the bottom of the coaster, and the present invention provides for absorbing such drippings. For this purpose a sheet or layer of an absorbent medium is placed in the bottom of the coaster in position to receive drippings from the drinking glass.` This layer may be of any suitable absorbent material, for example a sheet of blotting paper or the like as shown at 9,'and is preferably of a shape and size to overlie the entire bottom of the coaster, and therefore, in the present instance, is discshaped.

As shown at Figs. 1 and 2, the flange 5 of the rim of the coaster is perpendicular to the bottom il, and the absorbent disc 9 ybeing of blotting andate paper is capable of slight radial compression, whereby the disc may be of a size to it tightly within the flange 5, with the blotting paper disc radially compressing to permit its tightly fitting periphery being forced along the perpendicular wall of ange 5 until the absorbent disc rests upon the bottom of the coaster, and with pressure of the slightly radially compressed blotting paper disc then frictionally binding the periphery of the disc against the Wall of flange 5 to hold the absorbent medium in place against accidental displacement. The vdrinking glass supported in the coaster thus rests upon the disc 9, whereby drippings from the glass are absorbed by the absorbent medium.

Means are provided whereby the disc A9, when soiled or saturated with drippings, may be readily removed and replaced; and for this purpose, and as shown at Figs. 1 and 2, the bottom of the coaster may have an opening through which a finger may be inserted from the underside of base I for pushing out the disc 9 through the open top of the coaster. 'I'he opening is preferably positioned at the axis of the disc-shaped coaster and is deilned by alined openings Ill-I I in the bases I-.

In the modified construction shown at Fig. 3, means are provided for absorbing drippings by an absorbent medium 9a, and means are also provided whereby the moisture which is thus absorbed is conned within the coaster out of contact with the drinking glass. For this purpose a' disc I2 having openings I3, and preferably comprising a perforated metal disc, may overlie the disc 9a so that the drinking glass rests upon disc I2 out of contact with the absorbent disc, whereby drlppings drain through the perforations I3 and are then absorbed by the disc 9a; and in order to prevent leakage from the disc 9a if it should become saturated, a disc III of non-absorbent material may underlie the absorbent disc so as to close the opening l--I I. The discs Id, 9a and I2 are assembled in the coaster, one upon another, and may be readily pushed out by inserting a ng'er from the underside of the coaster at the opening III-I I.

Fig. 3 also shows a construction wherein the absorbent disc is releasably held against accidental displacement without relying upon merely the frictional contact of the periphery of the disc with the perpendicular wall of the flange 5; and this retaining means also holds the discs I2 and It in place when these discs are employed in connection with the absorbent disc. For this purpose a ring I5 may be inserted in the coaster so as to overlie the peripheral portion of the absorbent disc, and also overlie the peripheral portions of discs I2 and I6 when the latter are employed, with the ring I5 adapted for relatively tight frictional binding engagement with the Wall of flange 5. The desired binding engagement may be obtained by making the retaining ring of spring material and splitting the ring as shown at I6, whereby the ring may be contracted for insertion, and is adapted to then expand for tightly binding against the ange 5. The retaining ring may bind so tightly that it must be pried out when the absorbent disc is to be replaced, or the binding engagement of the retaining ring may be simply such as to prevent its accidental displacement, while permitting it being readily pushed out of the coaster when suiiicient pressure is exerted by the linger which is inserted at opening I0-II.

The modication shown at Fig. 4 is the same construction as that of Fig. 1, except that the wall of flange 5b instead of being perpendicular to base 4, tapers toward its outer end. The absorbent disc 9b is of a size to nt snugly in the flaring inner end of the bore which is deilned by wall 5b, and consequently must be slightly distorted to pass the outer end of the bore when the disc is being inserted, but when seated on base 4, is adapted to be pressed back to its normal shape so that the wall 5b forms an overhanging retaining means for the absorbent disc. By inserting a nger at opening IIl--I I and pushing against the absorbent disc, it may be readily distorted so that it may be forced past the overhanging wall 5b for pushing out the disc.

In the modiiication shown at Fig. '5, the coaster is of the same construction as that shown at Fig. 1, except that the bottom of the coaster is not provided with an opening for insertion of a finger to push out the absorbent disc 9c. In lieu of such construction the absorbent disc is provided with means accessiblefrom the open top of the coaster for withdrawing the disc when it is to be replaced. As an instance of this arrangement the disc 9c may have a projecting tab I1 at its periphery, preferably integral with the disc, and adapted to be bent upwardly alongside the ange 5 when the absorbent disc is in place, whereby the tab may be readily grasped in the fingers for removing the absorbent disc through the open top of the coaster.

In the modiiication shown at Fig. 6, a diierent means is shown for engaging and withdrawing the absorbent disc without providing a ilnger opening in the bottom of the coaster. In lieu of a tab such as previously described, the periphery of the absorbent disc 9d is notched as shown at I8, so that when the absorbent disc is in place, a nger may be inserted in the open top of the coaster so as to engage the notch I8 for withdrawing the disc.

In the modiiication shown -at Fig. 7, the coaster forms a receptacle for a refrigerating medium, whereby an iced drink contained in a glass which is supported in the coaster may be kept cool, the bottom of the coaster being preferably provided with an absorbent disc 9e such as previously described for absorbing the condensate which may drip from the cold glass. As an instance of this arrangement the coaster may be formed of cooperating metal stampings similar to the construction shownv at Fig. 1, except that the bases Ie-ie have cooperating 'telescopic iianges le-I Se at their axial openings and the flange 3e is prolonged, so that when the cooperating stampings are assembled, the bases Ie-lie are held in spaced relation, with the flange IIIe abutting the base te and with the lower edge of iiange I Ie spun over the base of ilange IlleA as shown at 25, in the same manner that the edge of flange 'Ie is spun over the base of iiange 3e. The space I 9 which is thus provided between bases Ie-te is adapted to receive a refrigerating medium, whichmay be so-called dry ice, i. e. carbonio acid crystals; and, in order to permit ready insertion of the refrigerating medium, an opening is provided in the coaster to the space I9, as for example by providing alinedopenings 2li-2| in the flanges 3e-1e.

I claim:

1. In combination, a tray and an absorbent medium, the tray having spaced walls forming a container, and defining an interior of the tray which is closed to said container, the absorbent medium being adapted for reception in said interior of the tray so as to rest on the bottom thereof, and the tray having an opening permitting access to the container from the exterior vof the tray and through which a medium which is to be stored may be supplied to the container.

2. In combination, a tray and an absorbent medium, the tray having spaced walls forming a container, and dening an interior of the tray which is closed to said container, the absorbent medium being adapted for reception in said interior of the tray so as to rest on the bottom thereof, the bottom 'of the tray having an opening therethrough 'ci'osed to the said container' but communicating withthe interior of the tray Y whereby a finger may be inserted in the opening from the underside of the tray for pushing the absorbent medium out of the tray, and the tray having an opening permitting access to the container from the exterior of the tray and through which a medium which is to be stored may be supplied to the container.

3. In a. tray, cooperating elements, one comprising a. base having an upturned ange at its outer edge, the other comprising a base having an upturned ange at its outer edge terminating in a lateral rim provided with a depending iiange at its outer edge, the said elements being as-- sembied with their bases overlying one another and with the upturned iiange of the rst element teiescoped within the depending flange of the second element, the teiescoped anges having means for hunting their telescopic engagement, and means at the end of the depending flange for engaging the outer edge of the base of the first element for preventing telescopic disengagement V of the cooperating elements.

CHARLES RICHARDSON. JR. 

